Snubbed truck



2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenor;

his Attorney Ernest J. Warnock 1.11. lllilll 'l 'l l Jan. 8, 1963 E. 1. wARNocK SNUBBED TRUCK Filed 001;. 20, 1958 Jan. 8, 1963 E. J. wARNocK 3,072,076

SNUBBED TRUCK Filed OCC. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

Inventor:

Ernest J. Warnock his Attorney United States Patent O M" 3,072,076 SNUBBED TRUCK Ernest J. Warnock, East Aurora, N.Y., assignor to Symington Wayne Corporation, Salisbury, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Oct. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 768,296 6 Claims. (Cl. 10S-197) This invention relates to railway trucks having inbuilt means for damping oscillations of the supporting springs.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved snubbed truck which, by eliminating the necessity for an enlargement in the bolster opening in its side frame to pass the bolster without correspondingly complicating either the bolster or the friction shoes, is both simpler and stronger than conventional snubbed trucks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snubbed truck wherein the outboard and inboard guide lugs, conventionally carried by a bolster, are carried, instead, by friction shoes pocketed in and withdrawable into or from the bolster, thereby enabling the bolster and side frame to be disconnected without enlarging for that purpose the bolster opening in the side frame, thus correspondingly increasing the strength of the side frame.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a preferred embodiment of the railway truck of the present invention, taken along the lines 1 1 of FIGURE 2;

:FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of a friction shoe for the truck of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of the shoe of FIGURE 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved snubbed truck of the present invention is comprised of a pair of side frames 1, only one of which is shown, each having a bolster or window opening 2 in which is received and through which extends an end portion 3 of a bolster 4. The bolster opening 2 has, at the sides, a pair of upright, upstanding or vertically directed guide columns 5, the transversely or horizontally spaced, vertically directed, confronting surfaces or faces 6 of which, defining the sides of the window opening, are, preferably, straight, as well as flat or planar. These confronting surfaces 6 extend, without increase in their transverse spacing and corresponding enlargement of the window opening 2 to pass the end portion 3 of the bolster 4, between compression and tension members 7 and 8, which, respectively, dene the upper and lower limits of the window opening 2 and With the guide columns surround or encircle that opening. Seated or supported on the tension member 8 is a supporting coil spring group 9 for resiliently supporting the bolster on the side frame 1.

For snubbing or damping oscillations of the supporting spring group 9, the end portion 3 of the bolster 4 has at each side a pocket 10, confronting or opening toward the surface 6 of the contiguous or adjacent guide column 5 and seating, receiving or fitting wedge or other friction shoe means, preferably in the from of a single friction shoe 11. A wedge in the illustrated embodiment, each of the friction shoes 11 has a vertically directed friction face 12 confronting and frictionally engageable with a correspondingly directed friction surface 13, formed on the surface 6 of the adjacent guide column 5 either directly as part thereof, or, more usually, as part 3,072,076 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 of a wear plate 14 welded or otherwise fixed or secured to that surface between positioning ribs 15.

Limited or restricted in outboard or, preferably, both outboard and inboard or lateral movement relative to the bolster 4 by outboard and inboard side walls 16 of the associated pocket 10, the friction shoe or, if a plurali-ty, the friction shoe means 11 in each pocket has or carries at least an outboard and, preferably, both outboard and inboard guide lugs 17 at opposite sides of and outstanding, longitudinally of the side frame 1, from its `friction face `12. Longitudinally overlapping and, preferably, also laterally embracing or straddling the outboard and inboard sides 18 of the associated guide columns 5, when the related friction faces 12 and surfaces 13 are in engagement, the guide lugs 17 limit or restrict at least inboard or, preferably, both inboard and outboard or lateral movement of the friction shoes 11 relative to the guide columns and, therethrough, .the side frame 1. Themselves limited in outboard or both outboard and inboard movement relative to the bolster 4 by side walls 16 of the pockets 10, the friction shoes 1:1, through their guide lugs 17, serve correspondingly to limit or restrict lateral movement or motion of the bolster relative to the side frame.

Replacing by their guide lugs 17 the corresponding guide lugs on a bolster of a conventional railway truck, the friction shoes 11 enable the end portion 3 of the bolster 4, outboardly or outwardly of the guide columns 5 to be contained or confined, Width-wise, within the limits imposed by the transverse spacing between the confronting surfaces 6 of the guide column or their friction surfaces 13 so as to be passable therebetween. However, while an important feature of the invention, this alone would not permit elimination of the usual enlargement in the window opening 2 for pass-ing the end portion of the bolster as it is inserted or removed. It, therefore, is essential that, in addition, the friction shoes 11, within the contines of the bolster opening 3 and without any enlargement of the latter for the purpose, be withdrawable or retractable from their overlap, longitudinal relative to the side frame or transverse relative to the bolster, with either the bolster or the guide columns 5.

To the above end, the friction shoes 11 may be made retractable within their pockets 10 sufficiently to clear the overlap between their guide lugs `17 and the sides 18 of the guide columns 5. However, for comparative simplicity in structure, it is preferred that the pockets 10 open not only towards the adjacent guide columns 5 but also upwardly or downwardly and that the `friction shoes 11 be `acted on by separate or individual springs 19 reacting against either the compression member 7 or, better, the ytension member 8 and thus supplementing the supporting action of the supporting spring group 9. Thus, simply by removing the separate or supplemental springs 19 and any of the spring group 9 in the way, the friction shoes 11 may be moved vertically relative to the bolster 4 by lifting or `dropping them, partly or completely, from the pockets 10, to clear their overlap with the bolster, the guide columns 5, or both. In keeping the supplemental springs 19 of the illustrated `embodiment are separate from the supporting spring group 9 and act vertically against the tension member 8 to force a wedging face 20 on each shoe against a correspondingly inclined or oblique wedging surface 21 in its pocket 10, thereby both forcing the friction face 12 of the shoe into frictional engagement with the confronting friction surface 13 on the associated guide column 5 and causing the shoe to move vertically with the bolster relative to the side frame 1.

The necessity for the usual enlargement of the window opening 2 having been eliminated in the above manner the confronting surfaces 6 on the guide columns 5 can be made straight substantially from top to bottom and if desired, `flat or planar except for 'the positioning ribs for the wear plates 14. Consequent upon the permissive straightness of the surfaces 6, the guide columns donot require the usual buttressing and the side frame with less lmetal canbe made stronger than a conventional side frame, particularly over the junctures between the guide columns and the tension member. Yet, as the illustrated embodiment makes plain, this advantage is achieved without increase over a conventional truck in the structural complexity of either bolster or friction shoes.

It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart from either the spirit of the inven- 'tion or'the scope vof the appended claims.

AHaving described rny invention, I claim:

l. A snubbed railway truck comprising a side frame, 'guide columns on said side frame, transversely spaced confronting friction surfaces on said guide columns at opposite sides of 'a window opening in said side frame, a bolster having an end portion projecting through and spring-'supported in said opening, pockets `in opposite sides of said end portion and each opening toward one of said surfaces, spring-pressed friction shoe means in said pockets each having a rfriction face frictionally engaging one of said confronting surfaces, said friction shoe means being overlapped and restricted in outboard movement relative vto said lbolster vby outboard side walls of said pockets, outboard guide lugs carried by said shoe means and each overlapping an outboard side of one of said guide columns for limiting inboard movement of said shoe means relative thereto, saidend portion outboardly of said guide Acolumns being of 'a width/to pass between said'confronting surfaces,'-and said shoe means and pockets being'constructed and arranged to enable said shoe means with-in `the confines of said opening to be retracted from overlapping relation with one ofsaid guide column sides and pocket side walls, said bolster on said retraction of said shoe means being removable past said'sur'faces from said opening.

2. A snubbed railway truck comprising a side frame, guide 'columns on said side frame, transversely spaced confronting friction surfaces on sai-d guide columns at opposite sides of a window opening in said side frame, a :bolster having 'an end portion projecting through and spring-'supported in said opening, pockets in 'opposite sides 'of 'said'end portion and each opening toward one of said surfaces,springpressed'friction shoe means in'said pockets each'having a v'friction face normally frictionally'engaging loneo-fsaid'confronting surfaces, said friction shoe'fmeans being 'overlapped 'and restricted in inboard and outboard movement relative to 'said bolster by inboard and outboard side walls Aof said pockets, inboard and outboard 'guide lugs carried vby said shoe means in each of said 'pockets and'each overlapping inboard and outboard sides 'of "the adjacent-guide column for limiting inboard and "outboard movement of said shoe means relative thereto,

'said'end'portion Voutboardly'of said guide columns being lof a width'to pass between said confronting surfaces, and -said shoe means and pockets being constructed and arranged t'o-enable said shoe means rwithin the contines of said opening to be retracted sufficiently to withdraw said 'guide -lugs from overlapping relation with said guide col- 'umn sides, said bolster on said retraction of said shoe means 'being removable past said surfaces from said opening.

3. A snubbed railway truck comprising a side frame having tension and compression members and a pair of upright guide columns surrounding a window opening therein, transversely spaced confronting surfaces on sai-d guide columns and defining transverse limits of said opening, a lfriction surf-ace on each of said confronting sur- !faces, said confronting surfaces being substantially straight rand parallel, a bolster having an Vend portion projecting through and spring-supported in said opening, pockets in opposite sides of said end portion and each opening toward one of said surfaces, spring-pressed friction shoe means in said pockets each having a friction face normally frictionally engaging one of said confronting surfaces, said friction shoe means being overlapped and restricted in inboard and outboard movement relative to said lbolster by inboard and outboard side walls of said pockets, inboard and outboard guide lugs carried by said shoe means in each of said pockets and each overlapping inboard and `outboard sides of the adjacent guide column for limiting inboard and outboard movement of said shoe means relative thereto, said end portion outboardly of said guide columns being of a width to pass between said confronting surfaces, and said shoe 'means and pockets being arranged and constructed to enable said shoe means within the Vconfines of said opening'to be retracted sutciently to withdraw said guide lugs from overlapping relationwith said guide column sides, said bolster on said retraction of said shoe means being removable'past said surfaces from said opening.

4. A snubbed railway truck comprising a side frame having tension and compression members and a pair of upright guide columns Asurrounding a window opening therein, transversely spaced confronting friction surfaces on said guide columns at sides of said opening, a bolster having an end portion projecting through and spring-supported in said opening, pockets in opposite sides of 'said end portion and each opening toward one of said surfaces, spring-pressed friction shoe means ineach of said pockets and each insertable thereinto through a bottom opening therein, each of said friction shoe means having afriction face 'frictionally engaging one of said confronting surfaces, said friction shoe means being overlapped and restricted in inboard and outboard movement relative to said bolster by inboard and outboard side walls of said pockets, inboard and outboard guide lugs carried by said shoe means in each of said pockets and each overlappinginboardand outboard sides of the adjacent guide column for limiting inboard and outboard movement of s'aid'shoe means relative thereto, said end portion outboardly of said guide columns ybeing of a width to pass between said confronting surfaces, and vsaid shoe means within the "transverse spacing between said surfaces being retractable through said bottom openings in said pockets :from overlappingrelation with one of said guide column sides 'and pocket side walls for removal of 'said bolster past said surfaces from said opening.

V5. A snubbed railway truck comprising a side frame having tension land compression members and a pair of upright guide columns surrounding a window vopening therein, 'a pair vof transversely spaced confronting surfaces each on one of 'said guide columns at a side and defining transverse limitations `of said opening, said surfaces being'substantially straight and parallel, a bolster having an end portion projecting through and spring-'supported in said opening, pockets in opposite sides of said end portion and each opening downwardly and toward one of said surfaces, friction shoe means in said pockets each having a friction face frictionally engageable with one 'of said pair of friction surfaces and an inclined wedging face engageable with a correspondingly inclined kwedging surface in said pocket, vertically acting spring means individual to said shoe means in each of said pockets and acting between said shoe means and said tension member for urging said 'friction and wedging faces and surfaces into engagement, inboard and outboard side walls in each of said pockets overlapping the related friction means transversely of said 'bolster and limiting relative inboard and outboard movement therebetween, and inboard and outboard guide lugs carried by said shoe meansin each pocket and overlapping inboard and outboard sides of the adjacent guide column for limiting relative inboard and outboard movement therebetween, said end portion outboardlyof'said guidelcolumns being ofa widthto pass between said confronting friction surfaces, and said shoe ieans Within the confines of said window opening being retractable from overlapping relation with one of said guide column sides and pocket side Walls for removal of said bolster past said friction surfaces from said opening.

6. in a snubbed railway truck, the combination with a side frame having tension and compression members and a pair of upright guide columns surrounding a window opening therein and a bolster having an end portion extending through and springsupported in said opening, of a vertically directed substantially straight friction surface on one of said guide columns at a side of said opening, a pocket in a side of said end portion confronting and opening toward said surface, spring-pressed friction shoe means in said pocket and having a vertically directed friction face engageable with said guide column friction surface, an outboard side wall in said pocket and normally overlapping and limiting outboard movement of said shoe means relative thereto, an outboard guide lug carried by said shoe means and overlapping an outboard side of said one guide column for limiting inboard movement of said shoe means relative thereto, said bolster outboardly of said guide columns being of a Width to pass between said guide column friction surface and a confronting surface on said other guide column, and said shoe means Within the confines of said Window opening being withdrawable from overlapping relation with one of said side wall and guide columns for removal of said bolster past said friction and confronting surfaces from said opening.

References t'lted in the tile of this patent l UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,676,695 Ramos Mar. 2, 1954 2,762,512 Maatman Feb. 22, 1955 2,972,967 Bachman et al Feb. 28, 1961 

1. A SNUBBED RAILWAY TRUCK COMPRISING A SIDE FRAME, GUIDE COLUMNS ON SAID SIDE FRAME, TRANSVERSELY SPACED CONFRONTING FRICTION SURFACES ON SAID GUIDE COLUMNS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF A WINDOW OPENING IN SAID SIDE FRAME, A BOLSTER HAVING AN END PORTION PROJECTING THROUGH AND SPRING-SUPPORTED IN SAID OPENING, POCKETS IN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID END PORTION AND EACH OPENING TOWARD ONE OF SAID SURFACES, SPRING-PRESSED FRICTION SHOE MEANS IN SAID POCKETS EACH HAVING A FRICTION FACE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING ONE OF SAID CONFRONTING SURFACES, SAID FRICTION SHOE MEANS BEING OVERLAPPED AND RESTRICTED IN OUTBOARD MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BOLSTER BY OUTBOARD SIDE WALLS OF SAID POCKETS, OUTBOARD GUIDE LUGS CARRIED BY SAID SHOE MEANS AND EACH OVERLAPPING AN OUTBOARD SIDE OF ONE OF SAID GUIDE COLUMNS FOR LIMITING INBOARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SHOE MEANS RELATIVE THERETO, SAID END PORTION OUTBOARDLY OF SAID GUIDE COLUMNS BEING OF A WIDTH TO PASS BETWEEN SAID CONFRONTING SURFACES, AND SAID SHOE MEANS AND POCKETS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO ENABLE SAID SHOE MEANS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID OPENING TO BE RETRACTED FROM OVERLAPPING RELATION WITH ONE OF SAID GUIDE COLUMN SIDES AND POCKET SIDE WALLS, SAID BOLSTER ON SAID RETRACTION OF SAID SHOE MEANS BEING REMOVABLE PAST SAID SURFACES FROM SAID OPENING. 